Program for the 44th TX Roe V Wade Celebration Rally in 2017:

Download the Digital Program:

Emcee:

Dana "Red" Leigh CooperDana "Red" Leigh Cooper is the co-founder of and executive producer and social media manager at Ear Splitting Media. She became passionate about women's rights and empowerment when volunteering to escort women across picket lines at Planned Parenthood so they could go to their appointments unfettered by protesters. Dana is a graduate of The University of Texas with a BA in Liberal Arts and has done many speaking engagements based on her blog about finding your purpose in life called "Grabbing the Starfish". She is also the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the band StoneKracker, an MC for cover band fUNNER., and spent her early Austin entertainment years hosting local music programs on access television.Ear Splitting Media Website: www.earsplittingmedia.com

Keynote Speaker:

"Jessica Farrar is currently in her eleventh term as State Representative of District 148. She was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1994 at the age of 27, and she is the longest serving Hispanic member from Harris County in the Texas House of Representatives.

Rep. Farrar currently serves as the Vice-Chair of the House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence and is a member on the House Committee on State Affairs. In addition, Representative Farrar serves as the Chairwoman of the Texas House Women’s Health Caucus. During the 82nd Legislative session, she served as the Leader of the Texas House Democratic Caucus.

Rep. Farrar grew up in Houston. She received a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Houston and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law. She is married to Lieutenant Colonel Marco Sanchez, who is a practicing attorney. They live in Houston's Lindale Park neighborhood with their dogs, Cricket, Gator, and Possum."​- Bio via the Texas House of Representatives Website

Also Speaking:

Maisha Barrett Maisha Barrett has been working in the field to end gender based violence for the past 6 years. She has worked at both the national and local level advocating with and for survivors and facilitating trainings and presentations in the community.She is an unapologetic intersectional feminist. She is one of the co-organizers of One Billion Rising Austin 2017.One Billion Rising Event Page: ​https://www.facebook.com/events/133849580401466/​​Amanda WoogAmanda Woog is a researcher and attorney who is currently leading a project documenting police shootings and deaths in custody in Texas. She was bitten by the Texas policy bug in the summer of 2013, inspired by Wendy Davis and the feminist army that took over the pink granite dome, and has worked in Texas criminal justice policy since 2015 She received her law degree with honors from The University of Texas School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy with honors from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. Amanda serves on the board of Jane's Due Process, a nonprofit that provides legal representation to pregnant minors in Texas.Jane's Due Process Website: https://janesdueprocess.org/

Thomasina Simpson TijerinaThomasina Tijerina speaks on the issues of violence against women and homelessness. She is a former SafePlace client and board member. She has co-facilitated several SafePlace Life Skills classes and enjoys using her story as a part of the intense SafePlace Volunteer Training Program. In 2015, Thomasina was invited to be a speaker on a panel for the Statewide Task Force on Domestic Violence and performed in the V-Day benefit presentation of the play, The Vagina Monologues. In 2016 she was a cast member of the V-Day benefit presentation of A Memory, A Monologue, A Rant and A Prayer and performed in The Exit which is a play about hope, joy, and happiness after abuse. Currently, she is producing Austin's 2017 performance of the Vagina Monologue to be held at the Dougherty Arts Theatre on Feb. 17, 18, & 19. Prior to that she will be motivating a group of teen girls at a girls' empowerment event being held at the Dougherty Arts Center, on Saturday, February 4 and One Billion Rising, a global women's empowerment event, on February 14.Advance tickets for Vagina Monologues Performance: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2723670​​

Azzurra CrispinoA passionate Prisoner's Rights Advocate, Azzurra Crispino will be speaking at the 44th TX Roe V Wade Celebration Rally. She will address various prisoners' issues including prisoners' lack of access to reproductive healthcare services and prison system abuses towards pregnant prisoners.Azzurra Crispino is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at ACC and the co-founder of PAPS (Prison Abolition Prisoner Solidarity).

You can view a recording of her "Ethics of Women's Incarceration" talk that she gave last fall (in conjunction with Professor Linda Cox) online here: livestream.com/acc/philosophy/videos/140885286

Heather RossAn original member of the Unruly Mob of 2013, and an amazing activist for Social Justice, Disability Rights, and Reproductive Justice. She has performed in the EXIT Project, is one of our Vagina Monologues performers!

Catalina Casar She first discovered her passion for grassroots organizing and political campaigns in the summer of 2014. After graduating from Franklin University Switzerland this past May, she returned to Austin to continue to engage in local politics. This past cycle, she worked with the Williamson County Democratic Party as their campaign manager and helped elect Democratic candidates in a predominantly Republican county for the first time in over 20 years.

Performing Artists:

Local actresses will perform "My Revolution"an excerpt from the Vagina Monologues by Eve EnslerThese actresses will also be doing 3 future full performances at the Dougherty Arts Theatre on Feb. 17, 18, & 19 with the proceeds benefitting Safe Place Austin Advance tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2723670